In a groundbreaking move to raise awareness about postpartum psychosis, Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP) launched a powerful billboard campaign across the United Kingdom which ran throughout March 2024.
The impactful initiative was made possible through the support of the JCDecaux Community Channel and the creative design expertise of agency Mother.
Postpartum psychosis is a treatable medical emergency that affects new mothers, occurring within the first few weeks or months after childbirth. Raising awareness about this illness is crucial to ensure timely intervention and support for the mums and families affected.
The billboard campaign aimed to raise awareness about the condition and signpost to the resources and support APP offers. In addition, it included a week of billboards promoting an appeal on behalf of the charity by author and APP ambassador Laura Dockrill which was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on 24th March 2024.
The visually striking designs were crafted with the pro-bono help of Mother, a renowned creative agency, and developed with leading academic experts as well as those with lived experience of postpartum psychosis. They sought to capture attention and prompt conversation on a nationwide scale.
Working in partnership with the JCDecaux Community Channel, the campaign ran across 76 digital billboards in major cities across the UK, hugely amplifying the reach of APP's message. In total, more than 16 million people saw the billboards.
Chris Dooley, Head of Social Impact at JCDecaux UK, said:
We are proud to work in partnership with APP to raise awareness around postpartum psychosis and the support the charity offers to all those affected. The JCDecaux Community Channel creates real value through the power of the public screen and aims to amplify Out-of-Home’s role as a force for good in the community.
The campaign kicked off on Monday 4th March, and coincided with International Women’s Day and Mother’s Day.
Throughout the campaign, APP encouraged people to join the conversation on social media, asking them to take photos if they spotted a billboard out and about - and many people did! Here's just a few examples...
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Many people also took to social media to comment on what an impact the billboards were having:
Dr Cheryll Adams CBE. Founder @iHealthVisiting
Wow well done. 🤞it saves lives and unhappiness. Fabulous initiative. Will educate and reassure new families too. 🏅from me.
Maternity Engagement Action
Fabulous campaign. Raising awareness and having the conversation that can lead to receiving the right support.
Maternal Mental Health Alliance
Have you seen one yet? Amazing news from MMHA member @ActionOnPP and so exciting to see awareness raising on such a grand scale. Congratulations, APP! 👏
Wider feedback included:
Awesome 👏 🙏❤️. Australia needs to take note 🙏. Congratulations 👏
As a survivor of this, I wholeheartedly back this campaign ♥️
Action on Postpartum Psychosis would like to thank JCDecaux Community Channel and Mother for their invaluable support.
You can find out more about help and support with postpartum psychosis here.
There are lots of ways to support us and get involved with APP. We'd love you to join us. Sign up to our network here.